Haseki sultan

Haseki Sultan (Ottoman Turkish: خاصکي سلطان‎,Turkish pronunciation: [haseˈci suɫˈtaːn]) was the title given to the chief consort of the Ottoman Sultan. This title was created in 16th century and was used for chief consort of the Ottoman Sultan until it was replaced by "Kadınefendi" in 17th century. Hürrem Sultan, principal consort of Suleiman the Magnificent, was the first holder of this title.

The Meaning of Haseki Sultan

The word haseki (خاصکي) comes from the Arabic and means "to attribute something exclusively to". Haseki is, therefore, one who belongs exclusively to the sultan.

Sultan (سلطان) is a word of Arabic origin, originally meaning "authority" or "dominion". By the beginning of the 16th century, this title, carried by both men and women of the Ottoman dynasty, was replacing other titles by which prominent members of the imperial family had been known (notably khatun for women and bey for men). This usage underlines the Ottoman conception of sovereign power as family prerogative.